“The battle over Australia’s brumbies intensifies in a clash of culture, colonialism and conservation” aired
by Four Corners late February 2022 contained beautiful scenery and majestic wild Horses, views from sides
of the Brumby debate, but their focus on aggression hijacked the program’s attempt at “balance”.
A responsible approach is to lower aggression through calm, rational debate around the SAME TABLE has
resulted in workable solution, such as for New Zealand’s Kaimanawa Heritage Horses management.
Victoria’s Deer Control Strategy (VDCS) Vic 2020 long term vision is that: Deer are no longer significantlyimpacting on priority environmental, agricultural and Aboriginal cultural heritage values and public safety.
Yet rigid anti-Brumby lobbyists use government funds to spread FALSE campaign information, such as;
Claiming NSW Brumbies are protected – UNTRUE, the NSW Heritage Wild Horse act ONLY protects 3,000 wild horses, and ALL in excess of 3,000 are REMOVED to maintain environmental values.
- Claiming Brumbies compact grazing areas – UNTRUE, studies (including Dyring 1990, show soil compaction is limited to tracks, leaving 99% of the study area not compacted.
- Claiming Brumby dung pervades the park – UNTRUE, 98% of the grazed area is dung free.
- Lauding trout fisherman complaining of damage from “introduced” species – but FAILING to state that trout also is an introduced species (CONVERSATION report titled “Rabbits of the river: Trout are not native to Australia”).
- Claiming the presence of wild horse has reduced the Stocky Galaxies to one mountain stream (being fenced – but FAILING to state that trout are the main reason the critically endangered Stocky Galaxias fish are restricted to Tantangara Creek where they survive despite the presence of horses.
- Inferring wild Horses create bare ground – but FAILING to acknowledge hydro construction and tourist facilities result in damage that is far greater than a horse presence may cause.
- Ending the program by filming wild Horses being run across the screen while seemingly unaware that same section included rabbits and vehicle tracks in the foreground.
Quotes from ABA President, Ms Jill Pickering
“it is difficult to understand why the science underpinning the NSW Wild Horse Act final Plan is continuously savaged by the Invasive Species Council (ISC) and Reclaim Kosciuszko (RK), it is plainly counterproductive to the plan’s success”
“While the ISC and RK continue to misrepresent the NSW government by repeating their never ending false science and undermining this plan; they can only expect equal resistance from Brumby advocates.”
Authorised 28-February-2022 by Jill Pickering M: 0400-558-772 for the Australian Brumby Alliance Inc.
